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Israel has unleashed its air power to eliminate Hezbollah's capability to terrorize northern Israel from south Lebanon. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his cabinet have ordered the Israel Defense Forces to do what it takes to knock out the guerrilla organization that is a law unto itself in Lebanon

Israel prepares to respond in force to the deadly Hezbollah attack from south Lebanon The cross border raid that abducted another two Israeli soldiers has further escalated the current crisis with Hamas in the Gaza Strip in the south. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has left no doubt that Israel will hit not only Hezbollah but also Lebanese targets in reaction to the unprovoked attack from Lebanon.

When former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon evacuated all Israeli soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip last August, the idea was that Israel would be able to defend herself from the international border. That clearly is not the case today. Israels new leader Ehud Olmert has launched Operation Oaks of Bashan to try and suppress the Palestinian rockets that now target the town of Ashqelon for the first time. David Essing reports from the Knesset:

What are the prospects the Egyptians will be able to persuade Hamas leader Halad Mashal to free the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shavit? Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called off the next stage of the rolling IDF operation into the northern part of the Gaza Strip in order to give the Egyptian effort a chance. Olmerts decision has sparked sharp criticism from the right- wing opposition which charges that the PM is negotiating with Hamas. This is denied by Israeli officials. Dr. Dan Scheuftan, an Arab Affairs analyst at Haifa University discusses various aspects of the current crisis in an interview with David Essing:

The standoff continued between Israel and the Palestinians in the wake of the Palestinian onslaught from the Gaza Strip. After launching more than six hundred Qassam rockets after Israels total evacuation last summer, the terrorists carried out a cross border raid into Israel killing two soldiers and abducting Corporal Gilad Shalit. On the West Bank, terrorists kidnapped and murdered eighteen-year-old Eliyahu Ashri. After giving the Palestinian authorities forty-eight hours to return the soldier, Israel launched operation Summer Rain into the Gaza Strip.

Israel has issued an ultimatum to Palestinian leadership demanding the immediate return of the IDF soldier who was abducted by Palestinian attackers from the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has held consultations with defense officials and the security cabinet to decide on the Israeli response to what is being viewed as a grave escalation. The assault came near Kibbutz Kerem Shalom.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz and several senior IDF officers have briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on the Palestinian rocketing from the Gaza Strip. Peretz made clear in no uncertain terms that there must be a total halt to the launching of Qassams or else he will order the IDF to step up its counter-terror strikes. Peretz is facing mounting pressure and Mayor Eli Moyal from his hometown of Sderot has called on him to resign.

How has Israels new defense minister Amir Peretz handled the current escalation in Palestinian rocketing in the Gaza Strip? Peretz, the dovish Labor Party leader, makes his home in Sderot, that has been the main target of the Qassams launched just a few miles away. The tragic killing of seven Palestinian family members on the Gaza beach has also focused attention on how Israel should cope with indiscriminate Palestinian rocketing of Israeli civilians.

Is Prime Minister Ehud Olmerts cup half-full or half-empty after his visit to London and Paris this week? While Britains Tony Blair and Frances Jacques Chirac stood firm on demands to the Palestinians for starting peace talks, they also reacted coolly to Olmerts unilateral Realignment plan for the West Bank.

First Hamas declared it is ready for a week long ceasefire with Israel if the IDF halts its targeting of Hamas. The offer came from Hamas headquarters in Damascus. However, within several hours the Palestinians fire five more Qassam rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot. After winning the election in January, Hamas has formed the official Palestinian government. But its predecessor Fatah, which is headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, and another group the Islamic Jihad claim responsibility for the latest rocketing.

The explosion that killed seven Palestinians on the beach of Gaza has shocked Israel. Israelis were distressed by the possibility that an IDF shell had gone off target and wreaked havoc among the Ralia family that was enjoying a picnic.

Dr. Dan Schueftan, an Arab Affairs analyst at Haifa University assesses the short and long-term impact of the U.S. targeted killing of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi in Iraq. The expert also compares it with Israels killing of Palestinian warlord Jamal Abu Samhadana in the Gaza Strip.

Knesset Member Natan Sharansky charges the anti-Israeli resolution adopted by a big union of public service employees in Ontario is a call for Israels destruction. The resolution supported a boycott of Israel and demanded that Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to the Jewish state. The Canadian unions resolution follows a move of British academicians who voted to boycott their Israeli colleagues who did not condemn Israeli government actions

What's really behind the resolution by British academics to boycott Israeli academics who do not condemn Israeli policies in the Palestinian conflict? When does legitimate criticism degenerate into an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state? And when does academic freedom degenerate into academic tyranny? Labor Knesset member Michael Melchior discusses these issues with David Essing:

Are Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas now engaged in trying to rebuild some mutual confidence? It looks that way after Olmert's visit to Washington and his talks with President Bush and other administration officials.

After meeting in the White House, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George Bush later held a joint news conference. It was not their first meeting. Years ago in Jerusalem, Olmert Mayor of Jerusalem hosted Bush, who was then Governor of Texas. By the sights and sounds of their Washington news conference, the two leaders hit it off again. But what apparently went on behind the rhetoric?

In a briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz has assessed the Palestinian threat and the bloody feud between Hamas and Fatah. Gen. Halutz also disclosed that Iran could acquire a nuclear capability by the year 2009.

The armed confrontation between Hamas and Fatah erupted in several bloody clashes this week. It has all the signs of an internal power-struggle with neither side apparently ready to give in after Fatah lost control to Hamas in the recent election. Shalom Harari, a leading Israeli analyst on the Palestinians discusses various aspects and the outlook in an interview with IsraCast's David Essing.